ENGLISH
REFERENCE

cognition

n. uncountable
C1 Advanced US //kɑɡˈnɪʃən// UK //kɒɡnˈɪʃən// cog·ni·tion Archaic

n. the mental process of thinking, learning, and understanding things. It includes everything your brain does to take in information and make sense of the world.

n. the mental action or process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses.


SIMPLE

Reading every day helps improve your memory and overall cognition.

CONTEXTUAL

As people get older, they often do puzzles and play games to keep their cognition sharp and prevent memory loss.

COMPLEX

The study investigates how bilingualism affects human cognition, specifically examining whether speaking two languages delays the onset of age-related mental decline.

Synonyms
Origin

From Middle English cognicion, cognicioun from Latin cognitiō (“knowledge, perception, a judicial examination, trial”), from cognitus, past participle of cognoscere (“to know”), from co- (“together”) + *gnoscere, older form of noscere (“to know”); see know, and compare cognize, cognizance, cognizor, cognosce, connoisseur.

Usage

Uncountable when referring to the general mental process; countable in psychology to denote a specific thought or perception.

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